1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electric current detecting devices or circuit testers of the type adapted to penetrate an insulative coating of an electrical conductor for electric contact with the conductor whereupon the presence of an electric current is detected and indicated.
2. Description of the Related Art
Numerous circuit testing devices are known in the related art for detecting the existence of an electric current in a conductor or for measuring the voltage of the current. Most of these devices include an electrically conductive pointed probe which is specifically structured to pierce the insulative coating about a wire, thus eliminating the necessity of having to strip or otherwise remove the insulation prior to testing the wire. Many of the circuit testing devices in the related art include signal lights which are electrically interconnected with the conductive pointed probe. In this manner, once the probe comes into contact with the wire conductor within the coated insulation, any current flowing through the conductor will cause the signal light to be activated, thus indicating to the operator the presence of current through the conductor.
A common problem associated with the use of these pointed probe circuit testing devices is encountered when attempting to pierce the probe tip through the insulative coating of a wire. Ordinarily, in order to pierce the insulation, the operator must hold the wire with one hand while attempting to poke the pointed tip of the probe through the insulation. These type of testing devices are intended for use with low voltage conductors, and therefore, most of the wires tested are relatively thin making it even more difficult to pierce the insulation. In most instances, the operator of these type of pointed probe devices will have to make several attempts as the pointed tip often slips off or misses the wire, possibly resulting in injury to the operator should the pointed tip hit and puncture the operator's hand holding the wire. This is especially true when working in dark confined spaces wherein the ability of the operator to see and manipulate the probe tip relative to the wire being tested is restricted.
While the circuit testers as described above have been found to be generally useful for their intended purpose, the danger resulting from the difficulty of using the pointed probes presents an ongoing problem, especially to those operators whose occupation requires extensive use of these devices.